Portable shower bath apparatus



Sept. 23, 1958 E. w. WINKLER PORTABLE SHOWER BATH APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 27, 1955 Sept. 23, 1958 E. w. WINKLER PORTABLE SHOWER BATH APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1955 INVENTOR. EDWIN \A/ WINKLER United States Patent Ofilice 2,852,784 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 2,852,784 PORTABLE SHOWER BATH APPARATUS Edwin W. Winkler, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor of onetenth to Gadget-Of-The-Month Club, Inc., Los .Angeles, Califi, a corporation of California Application December 27, 1955, Serial N 0. 555,436

1 Claim. c1. 4-154 Generally speaking, this invention relates to shower baths and apparatus for providing the same which can be readily folded and packed into a compact shape so as to be adapted for manual carrying for use in the country, in the mountains, and at the beach, in fact, wherever bathing facilities of the conventional variety are not within easy reach. More particularly, the present invention is directed toward the providing of a portable shower bath apparatus which may be easily assembled and when in use will operate to conceal completely the bather and, in addition, provide a directional outflow for the water which accumulates at the base of the shower apparatus; yet, the entire shower bath apparatus may be completely disassembled and, when packed, will constitute an extremely small volume exhibiting optimum portability.

In the past, many attempts have been made to design portable showering equipment suitable for camping use. Shower bath apparatus, as have thus far been devised, appear to have deficiencies in certain respects. For example, the degree of portability exhibited by most of the apparatus currently in use appears to be something less than that which would be desirable. Furthermore, none of the present shower bath equipment appear to provide a rigid, portable, base structure of sufficiently rigid construction to support the weight of the bather, and which also may be provided with a suitable outlet orifice and accommodating hose attachment, for draining the excess water from the shower enclosure. It has occurred to the inventor that it would be desirable to provide for such a base structure with the base itself being adapted to receive the remainder of the shower equipment for purposes of packing and storage so that, by means of either tie straps or a lid element, the entire shower equipment may be packed in the base and the base provided with an appropriate handle for carrying the apparatus.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful portable shower bath apparatus.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and useful portable shower bath apparatus which will exhibit a high degree of portability.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a new and useful portable shower bath apparatus which itself is provided with a base member having an outlet drain orifice and also a handle, which base member will accommodate the packing and storing of the re maining shower bath apparatus therewithin so as to form a portable enclosure therefor.

According to the present invention, a showed bath apparatus includes suitable upper support structure adapted to be secured by means of a rope or chain to a tree or other high over-hanging object, a foldable, overlapping shower curtain releasably secured to the aforementioned upper support structure, and a base member to which the lower portion of the shower curtain may be releasably afiixed, the aforementioned base member having a floor portion and a peripheral side portion provided with an outlet drain orifice. The base member is itself provided with a handle and also appropriate means for securing the remainder of the shower equipment within the base member when such is packed therewithin.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portable shower bath apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view of a representative portion of the upper shower bath apparatus, indicating the attachment of the shower curtain to the upper apparatus.

Figure 3 is a detail of the area described by Figure 2, but showing an additional embodiment of the manner in which the shower curtain may be supported to the upper structure.

Figure 4 shows and describes one embodiment of base member employable by the present invention which accommodates a cooperating lid for enclosing the packed shower bath apparatus for carrying purposes.

Figure 5 is an additional embodiment of suitable base member for which there is provided appropriate straps to secure the remainder of the shower bath apparatus therewithin, for carrying purposes.

In Figure 1, shower curtain 10 is made from a foldable, flexible, waterproof material such as oilcloth, waterproof nylon, or a suitable plastic material. Shower curtain 10 is provided with rings 11 at the upper portion thereof, with snap fasteners 12 so that the ends of the shower curtain may be overlapped and snapped closed to conceal the bather, and with grommet fasteners 13 at the bottom portion thereof adapted to snap into and be retained by retainer elements 14 as are appropriately positioned upon side portion 15 of base member 16. Base member 16 also includes bottom portion 17, which may be made integral with side portion 15, and is of sufficiently sturdy structure so as to be able to support the weight of the bather when he is standing either on bottom portion 17 directly or upon foot rack 18 which may be disposed upon bottom portion 17. Base member 16 should also be of sufiiciently sturdy construction so that the shower apparatus may be positioned over uneven ground, and yet will be able to support the weight of the bather. Base member 16 is also provided with handle 19 and with orifice 20, as may be accommodated by hose attachment 21 for the cooperation therewith by drain hose 22. S-shaped books 23 intercouple shower curtain 10 with upper peripheral member 24 which in turn is supported by the cooperation therewith by upper support member 25, which may be secured to the limb of a tree by a rope, chain, or other securing element 26. When assembled, the shower nozzle 27 may be appropriately clamped upon upper peripheral member 24. The hose 28 leading to shower nozzle 27 may, if desired, be routed to a water container disposed upon a heat source such as a stove. See for example container 29 and its placement upon stove 30. Input hose 31, attached to container 29, may be routed to an appropriate source of water under suitable pressure.

It should be mentioned that if no pressure water is available, then hose 28 may be routed to an over-hanging bucket which is full of water, or routed to a stream from which the water may be siphoned, or routed to a percoupling the. several straps 32, a disc 34 underneath and larger than the ring 33, and a securing hook 35 attached to said disc. The securing hook itself is adapted for intercoupling and securement by securing element 26, consisting of a rope or chain element, which itself may be secured to and retained by an overhead branch of a tree or other support structure.

Figure 2 is a detail view of a representative area at 2 in Figure 1 showing the cooperation of the 8-shaped support hooks with the shower curtain and also with support member 25. In Figure 2, representative S-shaped hook 23 may be provided with an eyelet portion 280 having an eyelet aperture 201, and also having a spacer 2432 and bolt 293 to complete the enclosure formed by the up per portion of S-shaped hook 23 so as to retain there within upper peripheral member 2 S-shaped hook 23 is shown to have a portion thereof disposed through ring 11 mounted upon shower curtain 19 so as to retain in vertical disposition shower curtain it). An appropriate tie element 204 may be routed through eyelet 201 to secure stitched strap 32 to S-shaped hook 23. In the event the strap or fastening means is made of a non-stitchable material such as metal or the like, the stitching can be dispensed with and it may be suitably fastened. Tie element 2% may comprise either rope, a chain, or suitable twine material. Dotted line 205 indicates stitching of strap 32 of support member 25, which of course is necessary to retain the end portion of strap 32 in its doubledback configuration. It will be understood that the configuration of the apparatus shown in Figure 2 applies to all of the S-shaped hook connections to the shower curtain it in Figure 1. The ends of each tie element 2AM may be secured together in any appropriate manner, as shown in the case of twine being employed as a square knot for example.

Apparatus of slightly dilferent configuration for intersecuring the several S-shaped hooks, the shower curtain, and the upper support structure is illustrated in Figure 3. In Figure 3, S-shaped hooks 300 retain the shower curtain in its fixed vertical disposition, as before. In the case of Figure 3, however, the hook 300 is shown to have a pure S-shape, that is, is not provided with any eyelet or eyelet portion. In lieu of the eyelet portion, threaded apertures may be provided along the inside of upper peripheral member 24 to accommodate the mounting of eyelet screws 361, to which are attached by being looped therethrough the several tie elements 2% of Figure 2 which cooperate with the several straps 32 of upper support member 25. It should be mentioned in the case of Figure 2 that if the number of straps employed in upper support member 25 is less than the number of S-shaped hooks to be employed, then the e-shaped hooks of Figure 3 (S-shaped hooks 3%) may be employed at the remaining positions along the upper peripheral member 24 for securing shower curtain 10 thereto.

Figures 4 and 5 indicate two of several Ways or means by which the entire portable shower apparatus may be packed within base member 16.

In Figure 4, base member 16 is shown to be provided with handle 19 and also with suitcase type fastener elements 4%, disposed about the periphery thereof for engagement with cooperating fastener elements 401 as are mounted upon the periphery of lid 402. Hence, upon the selectable disassembly of the several elements of upper portion member 25 and their placement within base member 16, and with the placement of upper peripheral member 24 (in Figure 1) which is of sufficiently smaller diameter so as to be adapted for placement Within base member 16, and with the folding of shower curtain to be positioned within base member 16, the lid 4132 may be positioned over base member 16 and releasably retained thereto by the cooperation of the elements 400 and 401. To accommodate the cooperation of lid 402 with base member 16, an annular ,,recessed area 403 may be provided as shown on the periphery of base member 16.

In Figure 5, there is indicated an alternate method of securing the portable shower bath apparatus within base member 16. This time, in lieu of the employment of lid 402 as in Figure 4, securing straps which are afiixed to the outer periphery of base member 16 may be appropriately, releasably secured by means of buckle elements 500 of the typical knapsack variety.

From the several figures and the discussion relating thereto, it is clearly seen that the present invention pro- 7 vides method and means for packing portable shower bath apparatus, when disassembled, completely in a base member provided therefor, for the purpose of carrying, thus exhibiting an increased degree of portability. It should be noted that all of the shower bath apparatus may be included within the provided base member, including even drain hose 22 of Figure 1 and, perhaps, container29 if it has a sufficiently fiat configuration.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made Without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claim is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

A portable shower bath apparatus including in combination: a foldable shower curtain having an upper peripheral portion provided with a plurality of rings spaced around the periphery thereof; an upper support member including; a securing hook, a disc afliXed to said hook, a disc ring disposed over said disc and of smaller outside diameter than said disc, a plurality of straps having first and second looped end portions, said first end portions being mounted upon said disc ring, a plurality of tie elements each being looped through a separate one of said second looped end portions of said straps; attaching means removably attaching said shower curtain to said upper supporting member and including; an upperperipheral-member-hook combination including an upper peripheral member and a plurality of substantially S-shaped hooks, said S-shaped hooks simultaneously engaging said shower curtain in the region of said rings and said upper peripheral member, and means for securing said ties of said upper support member to said upper-peripheral-member-hook combination; at least a portion of said plurality of substantially S-shaped hooks being provided with an eyelet portion and an eyelet centrally disposed upon said eyelet portion, said tie elements being secured through said eyelets of said hook plurality portion; a base member having a bottom portion, a peripheral side portion, and a handle affixed to said side portion; fastening means removably fastening said shower curtain to said base member; said shower curtain and said upper support member being adapted for storage within said base member; and means for securing said shower curtain, said attaching means, and said upper support member Within said base member when in their stored condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8,421 Brown Oct. 14, 1851 477,515 Cox et a]. June 21, 1892 699,786 Campbell May 13, 1902 0,089 York Feb. 10, 1903 9,714 Hercovitz Jan. '7, 1913 ,218 Nenoff Apr. 3, 1923 ,284 Madison Sept. 11, 1928 1 ,038 Hooker Feb. 9, 1932 a. my a. 

